Monday, 2 August 2010

Fluctuating weight = sizable wardrobe

Before my whole RA ordeal began, I was a “perfect” 10 dress size. I was happy with my weight and even happier with my (enormous) wardrobe (most of which I admit was never worn).
After my diagnosis when the stress, pain and general self loathing kicked in, I began to drop the pounds which ultimately meant wearing what mostly resembled bin liners for clothes (nothing fitted me anymore, damn it). I hated the way I dressed and felt swamped. Everything was baggy, making me look pretty much anorexic and very unwell.
When I started to come to terms with what was happening in my life, I made a conscious effort to care about the way I looked again. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t turn into a tramp overnight but pretty much had more important things to worry about than following the latest trends or piling on the make up.
Obviously by the time I realised how awful I looked, my dress size had dropped to a 6. Some of you may think of this as an excuse for a serious retail therapy trip but when your living on benefits (pretty much pittance a week) and don’t have much energy to invest in trawling round shops it’s a difficult task, even for a shopaholic like me. I invested lots of time scouring the internet for sales, vouchers and essentially shops that actually sell size 6 clothing (not as easy as it may seem) and slowly started to build up my new wardrobe. I decided not to throw out any of my size 10 collection as there was always a chance that I would be that size again.
So with my size 6 wardrobe and taking pride in my appearance again, amazing how when you look good you feel good, I battled on with treatments I have discussed in previous posts. However, now I have started to regain some of the weight I desperately needed, I have another dilemma. Not quite a size 10 but somewhere inbetween a 6 and an 8. What is a girl to do? So additions have been made to the size 6/10 wardrobe in the form of size 8’s. This is getting expensive and tiring, feel like I have my own branch of topshop with some of my clothes being the same style but different sizes. This would all be very well if I actually had the room to store a stock of 3 different sizes of clothing!
The shopping trips, however, are grand but hoping I don’t make it to a size 12…. Then it would get complicated.

I was put on heavy doses of prednisone which then put on heavy pounds on me and my abdomen. I gained 35lbs in less than 1 month. Never in my life had been so heavy. Then menopause. Good Lawd I was carrying 1/2 of myself again. Recently I was put on a new drug which seems to have really regulated body and now my body rids itself of waste properly for the first time in 35 years. Twice a day like clock work. I've shed 17lbs since being on this drug and I no longer loath the side effects. If it can help me feel better mentally because the weight was getting to me, I'm in. It never stops amazing me how many areas an AIDisorder can affect the human body.

Love your stories! I have had RA for 4 years. The 2nd year was horrible - I was confined to bed for months. Methotrexate, Rituxan, and Prednisone helped me return to "normal". I stopped taking low dose Prednosone after 3 years due to weight gain and am doing ok without it. Weight gain was worth "remission"!.

All About Me

At the age of 22 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I did not know much about the disease but it seemed my life would never be the same again. After months of despair, loosing a loved one and giving up my dream job I am finally coming to terms with my condition. I realised that I am not alone and with the help of incredibly supportive family and friends I can live a normal life and will not be beaten by this. I hope in reading my stories you too those who have been diagnosed will realise you are not alone and those who know someone will get an idea of how their friend/relative may be feeling and the challenges we face. Now 24, I am ready to share my story with you beautiful people (be ready for one hell of a rollercoaster ride!)